South Africa have got their 2009 Tri-Nations campaign off to the best possible start after two defeats of the All Blacks but now turn their attentions to Australia who they face in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Springboks haven't lost to Australia in Cape Town since August 1992 when a brace of tries from Paul Carozza, a third from David Campese and 11 fluid points from the boot of Michael Lynagh saw the then World Champion Wallabies shut the Springboks out, 26-3.

Then, the opening game of the 1995 World Cup preceded the eventual passing of the William Webb Ellis trophy between the nations as memorable images of Pieter Hendriks rounding Campese and Nelson Mandela gracing the tournament's opener remain etched in the minds of Springbok fans.

In 1999 there was a close tangle between the two teams that saw the Boks shade it 10-9 while four years later Rudolf Straueli's team produced a performance the raised the hopes of a disconsolate Springbok public with an enterprising 26-22 win sparked by the electric Brent Russell, setting up Victor Matfield for a memorable try.

The last meeting between the two sides at Newlands also came in a World Cup year, 2007. The game firmly heralded the arrival of the enigmatic Francois Steyn onto the international scene as he kicked a last-gasp drop goal from an impossible angle to seal a tense 22-19 victory for Jake White's side.

Since that match the two sides have met on three occasions with the Wallabies winning twice. Two wins in a row for new coach Robbie Deans, first in Perth 16-9 and then in Durban 27-15 saw pressure shift to the new Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers.

The Springboks though hit back a week later, and the last time the sides met, when they appeared to finally strike a chord with de Villiers' much talked of 'expansive game-plan' and destroyed the Wallabies in a 53-8 demolition job in Johannesburg. Jongi Nokwe scored four tries for the hosts as the rampant Boks crossed the Australian line a record-equalling eight times.